Half of Republicans voted against aid to Ukraine: State Department responds on threat
Photo: James O'Brien, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
The vote in the House of Representatives on aid to Ukraine indicates that the US will continue assistance until the end of the war. The Republicans' ambiguous position is not a threat, stated the Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs James O'Brien during a meeting with journalists.
The American official reminded that in November, when Congress requested new funds for assistance to Ukraine, the US government expected support from over 300 legislators in the House of Representatives.
"And that's what we got this time. So I think it shows that the support is not getting less. It's stayed, and the fact that it stayed as intensely as you saw it on the House floor when they voted is a mark that we're in this with Ukraine until Ukraine wins," O'Brien added.
He said that congressmen were very proud that they were able to allocate new funding for assistance to Ukraine.
O'Brien emphasized that the majority of House members supported the renewal of support for Ukraine and the Ukrainian military when they realized their vote was not necessary.
"They stayed and they voted because they wanted to vote, they wanted to stand up and be counted. And I think that's the message, that those votes stayed through this whole horrible six-month waiting period," the official added.
Approval of the bill on aid to Ukraine
On Saturday, April 20, the US House of Representatives considered a bill to provide more than $60 billion in aid to Ukraine, introduced by House Speaker Mike Johnson.
The initiative was supported by 311 congressmen, with 112 against.
Thus, if the Senate also supports the bill, the United States will resume providing military and financial assistance to Ukraine. This initiative could not be passed for several months.
